"I ran out of gas": Corbin man wins $1M Kentucky Lottery Scratch-off prize while filling up tank

May 25—CORBIN — A stop for gas netted a local man $1 million after a $20, $1,000,000 Luck Kentucky Lottery Scratch-off ticket he purchased won the game's top prize.

Michael Schlemmer was in critical need of gas when he stopped at Convenient Food Mart on US Hwy 25 West in Corbin.

"I ran out of gas, and I coasted in there," he said. "I had $40 bucks on me and bought $20 worth of gas and bought a ticket. I scratched it off and I looked at it and went back in the store. I showed the girls that sold it to me, and they about had a fit. The owners of the store were there, and they both started grinning."

Schlemmer had revealed the automatic symbol to win the game's $1 million top prize.

"Nothing went through my mind," Schlemmer said. "I just got up and went back in the store and showed it to them [store clerks]. Until I get the check in my hand, I don't believe it."

Schlemmer drove to lottery headquarters last Thursday, where he walked away with a check for $616,330 after taxes. He chose to take the game's lump sum cash payment of $862,000 instead of annuity payments.

Schlemmer had already been looking for a car to buy and said he plans to purchase a newer vehicle and put the rest of the winnings in the bank.

"I told the dealership I'm waiting for this big check to come in and then I hit that," he said.

Convenient Food Mart will receive $8,620 for selling the winning ticket.